Dugu Feng hovered above the Blood Pool, not in a hurry to proceed.
According to Tang San and Hu Liena's situation, they would need to advance a bit further before encountering the attack of the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King.
He was quite safe at the moment.
Beneath him, two Nine-Section Jadeites alternated in absorbing energy from the Core Pearl.
The mature Nine-Section Jadeite looked no different from real jade, shimmering with a misty green light, exceptionally beautiful.
Moreover, its body was almost transparent, giving it a dreamlike appearance, with eyes as red as rubies.
At this moment, continuously absorbing energy from the Blood Pool, their aura kept rising.
Days passed.
The bodies of the Nine-Section Jadeites began to flicker.
Suddenly, they completely transformed into an illusory form.
In the next flicker, they turned back into a jade-like body.
For a moment, when Dugu Feng looked closely, he found that he could see nothing at all.
The Nine-Section Jadeites seemed to have vanished.
But in reality, the Nine-Section Jadeites were right beneath his feet; he could feel them.
Illusory body?
Dugu Feng recalled the Sea Mirage Douluo, one of the Seven Sacred Pillars of Sea God Island, whose Martial Soul was the Illusory Serpent.
The Illusory Serpent is a top-tier Martial Soul that lies between Beast Martial Souls and Weapon Martial Souls.
Among Spirit Beasts, the Illusory Serpent is also a very powerful snake-type Spirit Beast, with a body as tough as diamond, capable of creating illusions, becoming ethereal, and possessing strong concealment abilities.
The situation of the Nine-Section Jadeites was almost identical to that of the Illusory Serpent.
Could it be that the Nine-Section Jadeites were evolving in this direction?
Dugu Feng immersed a strand of his consciousness into the Core Pearl within the Nine-Section Jadeite.
"We are not the Illusory Serpent; we are the Emerald Dragon Snake. How can the Illusory Serpent compare to us?"
A faint voice echoed in Dugu Feng's mind.
It completely stunned him.
This was the first time he had communicated with the Nine-Section Jadeite.
Previously, their understanding was very tacit, like that between a master and a pet.
This time, they could communicate directly through their consciousness, although it still required the Core Pearl.
"Emerald Dragon Snake?" Dugu Feng asked in confusion.
"Yes, Master, our bloodline is evolving, awakening the memories of the Emerald Dragon Snake bloodline.
We are a branch of dragons; everything the Illusory Serpent can do, we can do too! What it cannot do, we can also achieve!
However, the energy required for evolution is immense, and under normal circumstances, we would have no chance of succeeding.
But the energy of the Blood Pool is boundless, which has given us a glimmer of ancestral return possibility!"
The Nine-Section Jadeite sounded a bit proud.
"This intelligence is too high!"
Dugu Feng was astonished.
Most Spirit Beasts, even if they develop intelligence, lack much wisdom; how could the Emerald Dragon Snake be so wise?
Dugu Feng felt he had struck gold.
When the Nine-Section Jadeite mentioned the immense energy needed, Dugu Feng initially felt nothing.
But half a month passed, then a month, and two months went by.
Two months to complete the evolution showed just how much energy they had absorbed.
The bodies of the Nine-Section Jadeites began to elongate, exuding an astonishing aura.
This aura was something Dugu Feng had felt from the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion.
That was the aura of a ruler.
At the same time, there was another aura that transcended that of Spirit Beasts.
That was the aura of a dragon.
It reminded Dugu Feng of the scene when he last saw Yu Yuanzhen.
In a short time, two long snakes, each dozens of zhang in length, took shape.
They had no dragon claws or horns, still retaining their original appearance.
Could these truly be called dragon snakes?
Just as Dugu Feng was puzzled, the Nine-Section Jadeite finally began to exhibit draconic traits.
That is—dragon scales.
Emerald-green dragon scales, illuminated by the crimson glow of the Blood Pool, appeared as if meticulously carved by a master craftsman.
The surface of the scales bore intricate patterns, shimmering with rings of jade-green radiance.
Without a doubt, this was a branch of dragonkind!
In Dugu Feng's perception, their cultivation age had reached at least six thousand years.
From four thousand to six thousand years in just two months—it was like riding a rocket.
Above the Blood Pool, the newly enlarged Emerald Dragon Snakes playfully adapted to their massive bodies.
They flickered continuously in the air.
Their entire forms vanished one moment, reappeared the next, grew enormous, then shrank to a tiny size.
When they disappeared, only Dugu Feng's figure remained suspended in the air, creating an eerie sight.
Standing atop the dragon's body, Dugu Feng swayed with the wind.
With a grand sweep of his hand, his heart swelled with excitement.
With two Emerald Dragon Snakes at his command, what was the Road to Hell but a trivial obstacle?
No longer hesitating, he summoned the Core Pearl from the Blood Pool.
By now, Dugu Feng had also discerned the truth about the Blood Pool beneath him—it was indeed the energy core of Slaughter City.
Saturated with dense blood and sinister energy, no living creature could survive within it.
After a moment of contemplation, he swiftly advanced along the bodies of the Emerald Dragon Snakes.
Soon, their speed slowed.
Purple Soul Power erupted from his hands, exploding continuously in the surroundings.
It enveloped an area several meters in radius.
Knowing that blood bats awaited them ahead, it was unwise to move too hastily.
Under Dugu Feng's control, the two Emerald Dragon Snakes gradually shrank in size.
Finally, they reduced to about one meter long.
Having evolved, their bodies could now expand or contract at will.
With ease, Dugu Feng shielded himself and the snakes with his toxins.
Simultaneously, he descended steadily, stopping fifty meters above the Blood Pool.
The Emerald Dragon Snakes' evolution had drawn energy from the Blood Pool, so their current bodies were impervious to its scorching heat.
Jade-green halos radiated from their forms, protecting Dugu Feng.
Seeing this, he descended further, halting only ten meters above the pool. Perhaps the dangers of the Blood Pool could be exploited.
After half a day of travel, not a single bat had appeared.
This puzzled Dugu Feng.
A casual glance to his right suddenly brought clarity.
On the cliff face several li away from the right side of the Blood Pool, there were pitch-black caves.
No doubt, the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King and his underlings dwelled within.
And the narrow path of the Road to Hell lay just above their caves.
But Dugu Feng was currently above the Blood Pool—not far from its surface.
The searing energy likely made even the Dark Gold Three-Headed Bat King reluctant to linger here.
Dugu Feng was both amused and exasperated. Had his vigilance been for nothing?
"Screech!"
A sharp cry rang out as a bat emerged.
This bat hung upside-down from the cliff, its terrifying wingspan stretching ten meters wide.
Its body was dark gold, with three heads—undoubtedly the king of the bat colony.
Dugu Feng looked to both sides. Around the three-headed bat, countless smaller bats clung to the cliff walls, sending shivers down one's spine.
"Come at me!"
Dugu Feng roared.
"Squeak!"
"Squeak!"
The screeching grew even more piercing as countless bats cried out in unison.
Yet they showed no intention of crossing the Blood Pool to attack Dugu Feng.